QUESTION: How important is prayer in the life of a Christian? I find time to study the Bible but can't seem to find enough time to pray.

ANSWER: Without prayer in the Christian life there can be no fellowship with the Lord or power for testimony in our lives. Prayer is the life-breath of the Christian. God speaks to us through His Word, the Bible. We respond to Him through prayer and praise. It has been said that a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. The truth of this is confirmed in many Scriptures. Here are a few of them:

1. "Continuing instant [persevering] in prayer" (Romans 12:12).

2. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18).

3. "Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6).

4. "Continue in prayer" (Colossians 4:2).

Six times in the gospel of John the Lord Jesus invites us to ask the Father in His name for those things which will glorify the Father (John 14:13,14; 15:16; 16:23,24,26).

God has given us some wonderful examples of prayer in His Word. Look at Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Daniel, and the perfect example of the Lord Jesus (Exodus 33; 1 Samuel 7:9; 12:23; 1 Kings 18:41-46; James 5:17 and Daniel 6:10). In Luke 6:12 we read that the Lord Jesus spent all night in prayer before choosing His twelve apostles. Does not this example show us the importance of prayer? These Scriptures and examples illustrate how powerful prayer is and how important it is to God. He is pleased to use the prayers of His people to accomplish His purposes in this world.

Let us notice some things God exhorts us to pray for:

1. "First of all…for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority" (1 Timothy 2:1-4). The reason given is that we might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

2. For the unsaved. It is good and acceptable in the sight of God to pray for all men because God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:14).

3. For all saints. We are to always pray with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, for all saints (Ephesians 6:18). Prayer is a general term and would include different kinds of prayer such as prayers of thanksgiving or intercessory prayers. Supplication is an intense plea for a special need. "All saints" includes not only our families or good Christian friends, but Christians in every part of the world.

4. Anything which makes us anxious (Philippians 4:6). "Casting all your care upon Him. for he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7).

5. Anything which we can ask in His name (John 14:13). Asking in His name does not mean just using His name as an ending to our prayers. It means that what we ask, we ask as representing Christ in this world. We need to ask for His direction and guidance in everything we do that the Lord Jesus may be glorified in our lives.

As we think of the importance of prayer we need to say with the disciples of the Lord, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1)

—John D. McNeil